Yahoo, Samsung announce expanded, multi-year Connected TV partnership

Yahoo, Samsung announce expanded, multi-year Connected TV partnershipIn a Monday announcement, Web portal Yahoo revealed that it has worked out an expanded, multi-year deal with Samsung, for the integration of Yahoo's Connected TV platform into Samsung's smart TVs.

The multi-year partnership will bring the interactive television software of the under-restructuring Yahoo to the 2012 lineup of smart TVs from Samsung; thus extending the consumer base of Yahoo's content partners and advertisers.

As a result of the agreement between the two companies, Yahoo's SoundPrint audio fingerprint technology will be amalgamated with Samsung's SyncPlus platform; thereby enabling real-time identification of recorded or live, cable, broadcast and satellite TV.

With Yahoo's setup bringing interactive content - including trivia, program statistics, additional show insights, commerce, and other kinds of playable games - to the programs being watched by Samsung's smart TV users, the Yahoo-Samsung partnership will also give the users the option of using their smartphone or tablet as a stand-in remote control for viewing as well as sharing additional interactive content.

Revealing that the interactive features will be part of the latest firmware update for Samsung's 2012 line-up of connected HDTVs, Ron Jacoby - Yahoo's VP of Connected TV - said that Yahoo was "thrilled" at its expanded multi-year Connected TV partnership with Samsung; and added: "By combining watching TV with engaging content, we can change the way audiences are entertained and informed."